Young Lions hit road to repeat

The boys from Spring Grove will hit the hardwood floor without any senior players this season. However, five of eight letter winners return from last year's squad, including two starters.

Sophomore ALEX ENGELHARDT starts again, this time at forward. The 6-foot-3 All-Conference first-teamer played guard last year, becoming the first SG freshman to make the All-SEC squad. He posted some impressive numbers during the 2012-13 campaign, averaging 11.0 points per game, 4.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.0 steals.

Engelhardt was sure-handed, finishing with more assists than turnovers. He shot 40% from three-point range, 41% overall and hit 70% from the charity stripe.

Classmate BRADY SCHUTTEMEIER is listed at center after starting at forward last season. He also stands 6-3 and led the Lions in rebounds (5.8 per game) and blocked shots (13) last season. Schuttemeier shot 47% from the field, averaging 7.6 points per game, 2.0 steals and 1.2 assists.

Other returning letter winners include a trio of guards. All saw significant playing time, including junior Dustin Vickerman, sophomore Gabe Solum and freshman Chase Grinde.

VICKERMAN (6-1) averaged 6.4 points per game, 2.4 assists. One of only three Lions with more assists than turnovers last year, he won the 2012-13 Most Improved Player award in team voting.

SOLUM played in 24 of 28 varsity games last season. At 5-11, he is a quality defender and the only B-team player last year with more assists than turnovers.

GRINDE stands 6-0 and stepped up as an eighth-grader with 8.5 points per game, 1.3 assists. He also canned 36% of his tries from beyond the arc.

The Lions finished 21-7 overall last year, 17-1 SEC. Spring Grove won its third-straight SEC East Division title (their fifth in the last six seasons and eighth in the last ten years).

Lion Head Coach Wade Grinde (310-145) has led the program since 1995. He is joined by assistants Al Lochner, Dave Konz and Chris Strinmoen. Lochner and Konz have coached together with Grinde for 18 years. SG alum Strinmoen is a former player who returned to teach mathematics. He's been part of the coaching staff for three years.

Spring Grove's season opens with a road game versus Lanesboro, so two pre-season favorites for the conference championship will square off immediately. The date is November 26; tip-off is 7:15.

"The East favorite is Lanesboro," Grinde said. "They return the reigning conference player of the year (Kole Ruud) and fellow All-Conference member Luke Rogers, both of whom are seniors. They are loaded.

"We will compete in the upper half of the league.... This is the youngest team I have coached in 19 years. Physically, we have to overcome our weaknesses with discipline and skill. I expect us to get better each week. By the end of the season, we hope to be a contender with any Section 1A team."